March is a critical time for blood cancer awareness, with the acclaimed World’s Greatest Shave campaign raising funds for lifesaving cancer research. Today, 150,000 families face blood cancer in Australia, and 17 people will lose their life.
To echo this blood cancer awareness message, we shine the spotlight on a huge leukaemia research success that was made possible by generous donations, including a bequest by the Riordan family and a grant from Amgen.
The research was a collaboration between the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI), Austin Clinical Haematology and Austin Pathology. Associate Professor Chun Fong has been a researcher at the ONJCRI for eight years and, in conjunction with Dr Rishu Agarwal (Molecular Haematologist), Wendi Lin (Senior Molecular Scientist), and a talented team, developed a new pathology test for leukaemia.
Today, this leukaemia pathology test is available at Austin Pathology, with haematologists sending patient samples to be tested from around the country. Associate Professor Fong, who is now the Director of Research in the Department of Clinical Haematology at Austin Health, tells us about how the research progressed from lab to life.
Tell us about the research journey that led to the development of this test.
When we first started to develop this assay in 2016, next-generation sequencing technologies had just started to become more widely available for patient diagnostics.
The test was originally designed as a research tool. We believed that the increased sensitivity offered by this research tool would allow us to be more accurate in predicting how patients were likely to respond to treatments. As such, we would be one step closer to providing precision oncology and personalised care.
What does this test do?
This ultrasensitive test, called the “ALL MRD NGS assay”, can detect very low levels of residual leukaemia. It can detect leukaemia in one in a million cells.
We use this test to determine response to treatment, prognosis and the intensity of further treatment, for example, whether a patient will need a bone marrow transplant.
The test is also used to assess whether a patient is eligible for new targeted therapies, which have been a game changer in the treatment of patients with leukaemia.
How did this research tool become a routine diagnostic test?
Initially, we worked closely with the team at Austin Pathology, who were instrumental in making this research tool a reality, and who provided the know-how with accreditation.
The pathway to obtaining subsidy on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) was a two-and-a-half-year process. There was substantial advocacy from pathologists, clinicians and patients. Eventually, the “ALL MRD NGS assay” was approved and listed on the MBS in November 2023.
Following this, the number of patients who have been able to access MRD testing via NGS has exploded. We now provide services nationally to our colleagues in Queensland, South Australia, West Australia and the Northern Territory, who send their patient samples to us for testing.
What is next for this leukaemia pathology test?
We are nearing our five-hundredth test, and we could not be more delighted with the information that it provides haematologists to help their patients living with leukaemia.
A heartfelt thank you
I am proud of the work that has been done to make this a reality for our patients. I am also very thankful for the support of my colleagues at ONJCRI, Austin Pathology, particularly Dr Rishu Agarwal and Wendi Lin, who together undertook the key work of the testing and analysis.
Finally, none of this would have been possible without the support of the Riordan bequest – a meaningful gift from a patient dying of leukaemia which has had a substantial impact on the outcomes of others whom she will never meet.
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This is just one example of how generous donors and contributors are changing the lives of cancer patients. These donations allow our talented researchers to make discoveries and breakthroughs, changing the treatment journey for patients across the country.